"Why don't you go downstairs and relax with everyone while I unpack?" She gave him a big smile that he saw right through.

"What don't you want me to see?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just thought it might be nice if you spent some time with my family alone, that's all." She rushed out, trying not to play with her earring. She'd finally broken the nervous habit after so many interviews, she'd be damned if she started again.

"Ray, I have all week to spend time with your family. Let's go unpack." He pushed around her and flung open the door. What he saw was most definitely the last thing he'd have ever expected. Dark walls, angry chick band posters, maybe even torn up pictures of Josh - these he'd been expecting. But when his eyes landed on the floral pink wallpaper, light pink and green bedding, and white furniture, he'd been shocked into not moving. His eyes wandered over all the trophies that adorned her wall over her desk and curiosity got the best of him. He dropped his bags by the dresser and went to stand in front of the shelves, his eyes widening as he read the words on each.

"Oh my God...you were a cheerleader?" Dan couldn't help but to laugh at Raleigh's mortified face as she turned ten different shades of red.

"Yes, I was. For six years. Carly was too, if you can believe it."

"I don't." Dan continued to go along her shelves, reading what everything was for. "Cheerleading, dance, talent shows...how many times were you homecoming queen?" His eyes nearly bulged out of his skull when he came to the tiaras and ribbons.

"Dan, there's only four homecoming dances, so how many do you think given the amount of tacky tiaras that sit there?" Raleigh tried to hide her embarrassment as she busied herself with unpacking their bags and finding room in her dresser and closet. Why hadn't her mom thrown away all her old clothes?

"Ok, so you won Homecoming Queen all four years, no prom queen?" He said it teasingly, but Raleigh felt the hurt rise up in her again.

"I didn't go to my prom." She muttered, clearing out a drawer in her dresser.

"Why not?" The way Dan looked at her, with his eyebrows pulled together in a frown, told Raleigh he honestly didn't understand why she wouldn't go to her own prom. She decided to tell him the truth rather than make up an excuse.

"Because the love of my life had broken my heart three months prior and then Grams died, so I didn't feel like I deserved to go out and have a good time. I wanted to be miserable so Carly came over and we pigged out on ice cream and popcorn and watched corny movies all night." She gave him a smile before turning back to the clothes in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Ray. I should have known." Dan shook his head and turned to the giant message board that sat on the wall next to the mirror of her dresser. "You five were inseparable, huh?" He asked as he looked over all the pictures of Raleigh, Bobbie, Justin, Josh, and Carly. The pictures started at what looked like the age of five and going up to graduation, minus one of the group.

Raleigh leaned into Dan's side and smiled at the years of unforgettable memories captured forever on film. Still, sometimes, she found herself
missing being a kid, being able to just hang out and do nothing with her friends. But then she knew she wouldn't have Dan in her life, and that she wasn't willing to give up for anything in the world.

"We were the best of friends who shared some of the greatest and some of
the worst times together." Letting out a sigh, Raleigh pulled away from Dan and turned back to her bags. He gave the photographs one last once-over before doing the same.

When they'd finished unpacking, Raleigh and Dan headed back downstairs and found that their parents, Alan, Nick, and the kids had left to go to the café.

Raleigh couldn't help the disappointed look as it passed across her face. Bobbie picked up on it right away. "Ray, you didn't think they could stay away for long did you?"

With a sigh, Raleigh plopped down on the couch beside her brother and leaned her head on his shoulder, truly happy to be home with her twin
again. "I guess not. Did Janie go too?"

Bobbie shook his head, swallowing a mouthful of water. "No. She went to meet her new boyfriend in town for lunch." The way he'd said boyfriend,
Raleigh could tell just how much he truly detested Brendon.

"Bobbie, give Brendon a break. It's not easy to make a good impression on our family. You, Al, and Nick scare the crap out of the best of them." Raleigh winked at Dan and he gave her a smile.

"It is true."

"Oh come on, Dan! You're older than two of us!"

"So? You don't mess with a girl who has three overprotective brothers. We all know that." Bobbie seemed to think about it for a moment before
agreeing with them.

As they all sat in the living in comfortable silence, Raleigh resting her head on her brother's shoulder, Dan's stomach let out a ferocious growl that made them all laugh as though they were children. Raleigh stood and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the kitchen.

"Come on, let's go tame the beast." Raleigh dug through the refrigerator calling out random foods, waiting for Dan to stop her when something
sounded good. When he didn't she turned around to give him an aggravated look, but he wasn't watching her. In fact, he wasn't paying attention at
all to what she'd been saying. He was slowly walking around the kitchen, taking everything in. The orange of the walls, the pale-yellow alder wood cabinets and cupboards, the random pictures that adorned the walls. He was taking it all in as though he'd never seen it before. "Dan? Are you all right?" When he turned to look back at her, she hadn't been expecting the smile that lit his face.

"I'm great."

Narrowing her eyes at him in wonder, she closed the door of the fridge and took a step closer to him. "What's going on?"

He shook his head slightly. "Nothing. I just love this house." Raleigh's eyes popped open wide in shock. He'd been here before, why now was he
acting this way?

"Why?" He shrugged, the smile never leaving his lips.

"I don't know. It's just everything about it. The colors, the smells..."

"Well I can tell you now, the smells are Alan after he's had one too many helpings of beans." She tried to make him laugh and it worked, just not as much as she'd hoped for.

He looked away from her and ran his hand across the top of the counter. "Maybe I'm being silly, but I can't help but to think these things when I'm here."

"What things?" All teasing left her voice as she crossed her arms across her chest, trying not to fidget.

"Nothing, forget I said anything." Going over to Dan, Raleigh touched his arm with her feather-like touch.

"Hey, tell me. Where's this coming from?" Dan met her wide lilac eyes and held her gaze for a moment before looking back down to the invisible
pattern he'd been tracing on the countertop with his index finger.

"I've just been thinking for a while now about some things, and I haven't wanted to bring them up because you're at the height of your career, of your life." Suddenly, a wave of dread washed over her and she wished she hadn't been so curious to know what was bothering him. Still she made her voice even when she told him to go on. His eyes, that seemed to somehow be a darker shade of emerald, locked with hers once again as he continued to speak. "Raleigh, I've lived in LA all of my life. And while I love it there, there's a part of me, a big part, that wants to leave it behind."

"So what are you saying?"

"I know you love LA, and I'd never make you do anything you don't fully want to do, but when we're married, before or after the wedding, I don't
care, but when we're married I'd like to get away from the city. I want to move to a small town like this, in a house like this, and raise our family. It's all I've ever wanted." Raleigh felt such immense relief at his confession she couldn't help the half-laugh, half-sob that escaped her throat as she leaned into him. She felt him slightly stiffen as he wrapped his arms around her and she knew he was taking her reaction the wrong way. "It was just an idea, we don't have to." He mumbled the words into her hair and she knew he didn't mean it. She couldn't help it as her body shook, with tears or laughter she wasn't quite sure.

Finally, when she'd composed herself enough, she looked up into his torn, beautiful face. She reached a hand up and traced the contours of his face. "Daniel Cooper, never before this moment have I been more sure that we're meant to be together." She watched as the confusion passed over his face and she let out another small laugh. "It's kind of ironic actually. On the plane here, I was thinking that I'd love the same thing. While, yes, I am in love with LA, I know that being this big famous performer is not what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life."

"Ray, that's what you've been dreaming of and working for for most of your life."

"Yes, it is, and I love it, I truly do. But I also loved it when I was able to write whenever I wanted to and perform for the people I've known all my life at The Landing. I loved being close to my family and friends." Her eyes wandered and for the first time, Dan saw just how hard being away from them had been on her.

"So...are you saying what I think you are?" The hint of a smile he was trying to hold back lifted the corner of his mouth and Raleigh smiled brilliantly at him.

"I want to move back here, Dan."

"I am so glad you said that." The relief he felt at having her want the same thing as him was so great, Dan couldn't help but to wrap his arms
around her and crush his lips to hers. Raleigh reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, running her fingers through his thick curls, pulling him ever closer.

"Ahem." A fake cough interrupted their brief make-out session, and Raleigh could feel her face turning pink as she self-consciously rubbed her bottom lip with her thumb.

"Hey Bobbie."

"You guys are alone for two minutes and you're already going at it. What the hell must your house in LA look like if you're just humping like
rabbits all damn day."

"Robert!" Raleigh snapped, completely mortified at how her brother acted with Dan around, although she should be used to it by now. Dan laughed as he rubbed her back.

"I can't help the fact that your baby sister drives me insane every time she so much as walks by. And, man, don‘t even get me started on when she touches me!"

"Oh my God, ew!" Bobbie's face was absolutely repulsed. "I do not need to hear these things about my baby sister!"

Raleigh couldn't help but to burst out laughing. "Just remember who started it, Bobbie."

"That is so not right." He turned away from them, shaking his head as he opened one of the cabinets revealing his stash of junk food. He pulled out a bag of salt and vinegar chips and opened it noisily before shoving some in his mouth. Holding the bag out to Raleigh and Dan, he asked if they wanted some, with his mouth still full.

Raleigh could only shake her head. "How you pig out on that stuff and continue to be in such great shape is beyond me."

"Hey, good things come in moderation!" Bobbie said before shoving more chips into his mouth.

"Moderation my ass. You're always eating that shit. One of these days its going to catch up to you."

"You've been saying that for years and it has yet to prove itself true." Bobbie gave her his boyish grin as he patted his flat tummy before
shrugging. "Besides, Justin and I go running every morning."

"Oh, should Carly be jealous?" Raleigh winked at him before going to pull the ham out of the refrigerator. She was suddenly very hungry. "Ham or turkey, Dan?" She called over her shoulder.

"Ham. Got any mustard?" Raleigh shut the door and waved it at her fiancé.

"Dude, ham and mustard? That's freaking gross." Bobbie crinkled his nose up in disgust.

"You guys like grits. Enough said." Dan shrugged, taking sandwich duty away from Raleigh.

"What's wrong with grits?" The innocence on Bobbie's face was enough for Raleigh to bust out laughing. She remembered the first conversation well that she'd had with Dan about what he thought was wrong with liking them.

"He thinks they're gruel."

"Well, in that case, gruel is delicious." Bobbie took another handful of chips and shoved them into his mouth before rolling the bag closed and
tossing it back where he got it from. When he turned back to his sister, he eyed up the contents on the counter. "Hey Ray, how about you make your big brother that you just love so much a nice turkey sandwich?" He gave her the grin he thought was irresistible, his eyes wide with hope.

Raleigh rolled her eyes as she continued to put together her lunch. "Six minutes Bobbie." She reminded him as she always did. "And just what is wrong with your hands? They seemed to be just fine when you were shoveling chips into your mouth."

"It hurts that you don't want to take care of me, Raleigh." He feigned a wounded expression and put his hand over his heart. As he jutted out his bottom lip and made it tremble, Raleigh shook her head.

"Come on, Bobbie! That's so not fair! Dan, do something." She pleaded with him, he could only laugh in response.

"Hey, its not me who can't say no to the pout." Dan smiled at her before picking up his sandwich and taking a big bite.

"You're getting too damn good at that, Bobbie." Raleigh muttered as she grabbed the turkey out of the fridge and went to work.

"Thanks, Ray! You're a doll." Bobbie bounced over to her and ruffled her hair before turning to Dan. "I think there's a game on, wanna watch with me?"

Dan shrugged as he grabbed his plate and he followed Bobbie into the living room. Raleigh rolled her eyes and shook her head as she placed a few pieces of lettuce on her brother's turkey sandwich. When she was done putting everything away, she grabbed both plates and went to join her fiancé and brother in the living room. She stayed and endured the sport watching until she'd finished her lunch before she went upstairs, grabbed her purse and decided to go for a walk.

She didn't have a set place in mind that she wanted to go, so she kept walking, just thinking about some things. As she passed the familiar scenery through town, she couldn't help but to smile at herself as the conversation she'd just had with Dan ran through her mind once again. They were going to move back here. Raleigh knew she still had another album and tour left to put out with her contract with Jerry, but once that was up, what was she going to do? Renew it? Continue to put out albums and tour the world?

No, she knew she wouldn't. She wanted to settle down and start her family with Dan. She wanted to work at the Landing with her family again. She wanted to be with her friends again. She loved touring, she truly did, but for some reason it wasn't everything she'd expected when she realized her dream had finally come true. She barely had time to spend with Dan as it was that she'd had no idea how he'd put up with her through all of this. How he could want to marry her she had no idea. But he did. And she was never going to let him go.

Looking at her surroundings, Raleigh was surprised when she realized how far she'd gone, especially in her heels. She stood at the mouth of the
trail that wound through the woods endlessly. She and Carly had made several attempts to finish the trail when they were children, but after
following it for a few hours they'd always given up and turned around. The corners of her mouth turned up as she wondered if she'd be able to do it now. But that would have to wait until a different day. She wasn't wearing the right shoes, or clothes, and she had to be back at the house by two.

Sighing, Raleigh promised herself she'd be back to try it again and turned to head back to her parents' house. Dan would probably start to get antsy if she didn't return soon. If he'd even bothered to rip his attention away from the television set to notice she'd left.

As she wandered back to the house, Raleigh felt the memories wash over her of times past. She could clearly see herself and her friends running down the streets as they'd been growing up, laughing and shouting at one another, as if it were yesterday. They'd gotten in so much trouble time
and time again for being out too late or making too much noise around an elder's house but still they never learned. They did what they wanted when they wanted and they'd had the times of their lives.

Eventually though, they had to grow up, a sad truth that came crashing down on them senior year. Everything had changed for all of them. Some for the better, some for the worse, but still they'd always been there for one another.

There wasn't one thing in her past that Raleigh would change for anything. Never before this moment would she have agreed that everything happens for a reason.

When she'd finally made it back to the house and sat down, she fully felt the effects of walking around for hours in her one-inch high heeled shoes. What had she been thinking?

"Dan, honey, give me a foot massage." Raleigh swung her legs up to rest on his lap and, never breaking his conversation with Bobbie, he set to rubbing her feet gently the way she'd always liked.

Raleigh sighed, completely content, as she leaned her head back against the couch's armrest and closed her eyes. The next thing she knew, Dan was hovering over her, shaking her awake.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Dan gave her a smile and Raleigh sat up, slightly disoriented as she looked around the room.

"Did I fall asleep?" she asked through a yawn.

"Oh man, did you ever. I don't think I've ever heard you, or anyone for that matter, snore like that."

"Shut up, Bobbie! Like you never snore!" Raleigh grabbed the first thing her hand found and whipped it at her brother. He quickly dodged the stereo remote and let out a laugh.

"You still throw like a girl."

"I am a girl!"

"Okay, children, enough!" Justin broke up the banter before it could go any farther. "As much as I'd love to watch this little squabble play out and turn into a fight, which Ray would ultimately win, again, we have to get going."

"The only reason she won was because she sat on me!"

"Give me a break, Bobbie!" Raleigh rolled her eyes. "You went down from the first punch like a box of rocks and I pinned you, fair and square! Besides, even in my chubbiest days I still weighed less than you."

"So give it up, Bobbie. You're just a sissy." Carly rested her arm on Raleigh's shoulder and smirked at Bobbie.

"And you're just a bitch." Bobbie grinned back at her, batting his eyelashes.

"Well, I can't disagree with you there."

Bobbie just shook his head at her before looking back at Justin. "We going or what?"

"Yeah. Come on guys." Raleigh turned to Dan and gave him a quick kiss goodbye. "Don't worry, I'll bring him back to you."

"You better." The smile on Raleigh's face faltered as she watched Justin and Dan leave the house, followed by Josh. Had he been there the whole time? When her eyes first caught glimpse of him, he'd been leaning against the doorframe that led into the kitchen, his eyes firmly planted on her. Or had she imagined it? When she looked back at him he was joking with Bobbie, a foreign smile on his face, showing no signs that he'd been watching her at all.

Giving herself a mental shake, Raleigh turned back to Carly only to find her gone. Hearing the ice machine in the kitchen, Raleigh went in there and found her busying herself with getting a glass of lemonade.

"So what time do we have to go?"

"Our appointment is at three. Mandy's gonna drive us all since she's got the van. Plus too it's already got Emmalee's car seat in it." Raleigh
nodded along with her but her eyes lit up as soon as she mentioned Emmalee's name.

"How is she doing? She's gotta be getting big by now."

"Oh yeah. She is the most adorable little girl! Looks absolutely nothing like Chris with her little blond ringlets."

"Aw, I can't wait to see her. It's been too long. She probably won't even remember me."

"Of course she will! It's only been a year since you've seen her. And she knows her Ray-Ray when she sees her on the TV." Carly reasoned with her, making Raleigh smile. She'd missed so much while away on tour. She couldn't wait to move back to Shelby Forest.